Brown leads Terps to 32-21 win over Huskies

By PAT EATON-ROBB , Associated Press

Sep. 15, 201312:46 AM ET

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut hasn't started a season this poorly in more than a decade.

Jessica Hill

Connecticut cornerback Taylor Mack (29) eludes Maryland tight end Dave Stinebaugh (86) after intercepting a pass by Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown during the second half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Connecticut cornerback Taylor Mack (29) eludes Maryland tight end Dave Stinebaugh (86) after intercepting a pass by Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown during the second half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall, left, shakes hands with Connecticut head coach Paul Pasqualoni before an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013, in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown (16) hands off to running back Albert Reid (5) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Connecticut at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn. Maryland won 32-21. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Connecticut safety Ty-Meer Brown (15) breaks up a pass intended for Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) during the second half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn. Brown was penalized for pass interference on the play. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Connecticut head coach Paul Pasqualoni instructs his team on the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Connecticut cornerback Jhavon Williams, left, tackles Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) after a catch during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall watches his team play against Connecticut during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown (16) celebrates his touchdown run against Connecticut with teammates Malcolm Culmer (83) and Mike Madaras (77) during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Rentschler Field, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 in East Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

The Huskies lost to Maryland 32-21 Saturday, giving up more than 500 yards to the Terrapins a week after being beaten at home by Towson, a team from the Football Championship subdivision.

It's the Huskies first 0-2 start since 2002, when their coach was Randy Edsall, the man who was on the other sideline Saturday.

"It's not about that," said UConn kicker Chad Christen, who had two field goals in the losing effort. "It's about our team and getting wins. I have great respect for Coach Edsall. He gave me the opportunity to play college football. It's just another opponent."

C.J. Brown ran for 122 yards and a touchdown and threw for 277 yards and another score on Saturday night for Maryland. Stefon Diggs added 110 yards receiving, including a 12-yard touchdown for the Terrapins, who improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2001.

"I guess now I can be the first person to win a game at Rentschler Field as the head coach at UConn and a visiting coach, so I established a record there," said Edsall. "So, I'm glad my guys allowed me to do that."

Maryland, which led just 13-10 at the half, put up 501 yards of offense, going over 500 yards for the third straight game.

"C.J. is a big factor for that," said Diggs. "He can run the ball. He can throw the ball. He just brings a lot to the game and that's how we rack up 500."

Brown missed last year, including a 24-21 loss to UConn in College Park, with a knee injury.

Shakim Phillips caught a career-high 10 passes for 178 yards and a late touchdown for UConn, which faces No. 11 Michigan next Saturday night.

"It's a long season. We can't stop," said UConn quarterback Chandler Whitmer. "Got to go back to work, Tough team coming in next week. We can't hang our head. Time to go."

UConn quarterback Chandler Whitmer was 29-of-46 for a career-high 349 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. His intentional grounding penalty in the UConn end zone with just under 9 minutes left, put the Terrapins up by three scores, and put the game out of reach.

Brad Craddock added a 40-yard field goal, his third of the game.

Phillips boosted his stats with a late 75-yard touchdown catch and run, but had to be helped off the field after injuring his hamstring on the play.

Maryland, which had 576 and 587 yards in its first two games, put up 319 yards of offense in the first half of this one. But mistakes kept them to just 13 points.

The Terps turned the ball over three times in the first quarter in UConn territory, twice failing to convert on fourth-and-1.

Ross was stuffed for a 3-yard loss to end the Terps first possession, and UConn responded by going on a six-play 64-yard drive that ended with Lyle McCombs taking a pile of players into the end zone from five yards out. Ross finished with 95 yards rushing. McCombs had 53 for UConn.

Maryland got on the board in the second quarter when Brown kept the ball on a read option and went 41 yards up the middle of the Husky defense to tie the game, capping a four-play 80-yard drive.

The teams traded field goals to keep the game tied at 10. Chad Christen's 33-yarder was his ninth consecutive successful attempt.

But the Terps put together a 10-play, 86-yard drive just before halftime, settling for a 21-yard field goal after Levern Jacobs stepped out of bounds on a 48-yard reception just before diving into the end zone.

Edsall was back at Rentschler field for the first time since leaving the program after the 2011 Fiesta Bowl. He built UConn from Division I-AA power to Division I upstart and took the program to five bowl games in his 12 years in Storrs. Connecticut hasn't had a winning season since he left.

"We need some young guys to play better," said Pasqualoni. "We need guys who are playing for the first time to settle down and play better. But we have talent on the team."